First Amendment Showdown in the States?

(Posted on 22/04/11)

This past weekend, an American family had to put to rest a member of its family who was killed in Afghanistan April 7. Staff Sgt. Jason Rogers was raised in the southern United States in Mississippi and died in Afghanistan.

Westboro Baptist Church, which some say is a cult and hate group, announced it would be in attendance. The group travels the U.S. and pickets the funerals of military members who lost their lives in war. The group recently sued and the case made it to the Supreme Court, in which it was promptly decided the group's First Amendment rights could not be jeopardized and that they were free to picket wherever it chose. The group insists God hates the United States and that each life lost in war is God's vengeance upon the nation. Up until this past weekend, mourners across the nation had to put up with the presence of these radical people who were in attendance at the funerals of their loved ones. Then, the group found itself in Mississippi. And that's where the trouble began and likely, it will all culminate in a courtroom throwdown in the next few months.

First, one of its members showed up in the small southern town and began taunting residents in the community. Apparently, it was taken too far and he was jumped by several residents. By the time police arrived, no one would come forward and point out those involved.

The day of the funeral, residents in the county blocked all of the vehicles with out of state tags belonging to the members of this group. They did not allow the cars to leave the hotel parking lot until after the funeral and those few who did make it to the grave site were quickly ushered away by police for questioning in crimes that were committed. Eventually, they were released - after the funeral. Now, it appears the showdown is building steam. Those who were denied access to the funeral are saying their First Amendment rights were trampled on yet again.

It's not likely anything will come of this in Mississippi; it's a conservative state and one that's filled with residents who take pride in their military and their country. Time will tell, of course, but many are saying there's not a jury in the state that will find any wrongdoing.

The story is being closely monitored by legal minds and the nation as a whole. To say it's becoming heated is an understatement.